Baltimore auxiliary bishops remember late pope with fondness

Bishop Adam J. Parker and  Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., both of whom were appointed bishops by Pope Francis, are remembering their personal encounters with the late pope as inspirational moments that helped shape their ministries. 

Pope Francis died April 21 at 88.

“He practices what he preaches; he’s a great listener and cares for each of us,” Bishop Lewandowski said. “He tells us to have big ears and big hearts. Listen to people and take it to heart. He certainly changed us. He showed us how to be more kind, charitable and merciful toward one another, and for that I’m grateful.”

Bishop Lewandowski has a touching recollection of his first personal encounter with Pope Francis. Shortly after he was named Baltimore’s auxiliary bishop by Pope Francis in 2021, he traveled to Rome for an eight-day orientation for new bishops.

Bishop Lewandowski recalled that at the end of the orientation, the new bishops had a special audience with the pope. He said the pope opened the forum up to questions and was besieged with questions on his policies on poverty and the war in Ukraine.

When Bishop Lewandowski had an opportunity to ask a question, he simply asked the visibly ailing pope how he was feeling. After Pope Francis humbly rattled off a list of ailments he was dealing with, Bishop Lewandowski asked if he could give the pope a hug.

“It was a powerful moment,” Bishop Lewandowski said of embracing the pope. “And one I’ll never forget.”

Bishop Lewandowski, whom Pope Francis appointed on April 8 to become the next bishop of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., was among the last bishops the pope appointed to lead a diocese before the pope’s death.

Bishop Parker was in Rome the day Pope Francis was elected in 2013. He looked over St. Peter’s Square from a high balcony on the apartment of Cardinal William Levada, former head of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation. Bishop Parker saw tens of thousands crowd the square to catch a glimpse of the new pope, who asked the people to pray for him as he bowed his head.

“At that first moment, he demonstrated an aspect of humility that truly has marked his entire papacy,” Bishop Parker said. 

Bishop Parker noted that although the pope didn’t change church teaching, he taught in a “different tone.”

“He really wanted to throw the doors of the church wide open – not only so that people could come in, but so that we, the church people, could go out into the world,” he said.

Bishop Parker said he admired the pope’s emphasis on making the church a “field hospital” for the hurting and suffering.

“In so many ways, he really brought the faith into a very real and tangible dimension for people,” Bishop Parker said. “I think that as a result of that and a result of his ministry, he caused many people to give the church another look.”

Gerry Jackson and George Matysek Jr. contributed to this story

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